basic stuff, but caused an argument,

now a fig w/ leap/climb is grounded, but can attack any adjacent fig regardless of it's elevation.

from p.19 of the LOSH rulebook:

"Hovering characters may move onto and off of elevated terrain and over outdoor blocking terrain w/o changing flight modes. For purposes of breaking away and close combat, a hovering character is at the same elevation as the square its base occupies."

So... a hovering figs base is on the ground for close combat just like a grounded fig w/ leap/climb, yet it can change elevation no prob for movement. So can the charging flyer attack a fig on the edge of elevated and still stay on the ground level? I have the sinking feeling that the answer is no which I find ridiculous (but hey I know, I know, it's not a game of logic in all cases), yet I have been playing for years under the interpretation that you CAN attack in this scenario. I just need to get some imput to confirm.

I guess the charge isn't really important in the example, it's just how the problem came up in a recent game. So if i'm wrong, a "grounded" hovering fig can't CCattack a fig on the edge of elevated unless it has l/c...

No closse combat attack can be made. As he section you quoted says "a hovering character is at the same elevation as the square its base occupies." The flying (standard-height) character is grounded and is not adjacent to the elevated figure. Close combat cannot be performed (without l/c.).

damn. It's a foolish rule, especially since flyers can change elevation when they want (for movement only I know) but fine, I guess I'll have to play it that way.

Yep. Northstar taught me this at the Mutant Mayhem pre-release. I was so sad.